The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current, December 05, 1912, Image 5

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    o
The Honor
6
PROLOG UE.
Up in the "Big Snows," near
the dome of the earth, lies the
scene of this story of real men
and real women, who have all of
the virtues of their hardening en
vironment and few of the failings
of their more civilized relatives.
This is a tale for reading when
one is tired of the artificialities
of civilization or at any other
time when a good story is appre
ciated. You will find in it ro
mance and adventure and mystery
mixed in such skillful manner and
in such proportion that no ingre
dient interferes with another. Yet
all go to make fine reading for
women who like to hear of brave
deeds and sacrifice for love's
sake and for men with even a
drop of the spirit of adventure
in their veins. And one thing
more the author has livedamong
the people whose lives he de
scribes, and he knows how to tell
a story.
CHAPTER XI.
Her Promise Kept
JAN went from the cabin. Jean do
Gravols and Iowaka were watch
ing for him, and Jean hurried
across the open to meet him.
"I am coming to offer you the loan
of my razor," he cried gaily. "Iowaka
sajs that you will be taken for a bear
if the trappers see you."
"A beard Is good to keep off the black
flies," replied Jan. "It Is approaching
summer and the black flies love to
feast upon me. Let us go down the
trail. Jean. I want to speak with you."
Where there had been wood cutting
la the deep spruce they sat down, fac
iDg each other. Jan spoke in French.
11 T 1. .. l .. l .. 1 r .
x nuve nuvuiuu iui smcc leaving
Lac Bain," he said. "I went first to
Nelson House, and from there to the
Wltoldaia. I found them at Nelson
House, but not on the Wholdain."
"What?" asked Jean, though lie
knew well what the other niennO
"My brothers, Jean de Gravols," an
swered Jan, drawing his lips until his
teetli gleamed in a sneering smile.
"My brothers the carrion! I saw-the
two at Nelson House. One of them is n
half wit, and the other" he hunched
his shoulders "is worse. Fetrntid,
one of the two who were at Wholdaia,
was killed by a Cree father last winter
for dishonoring his daughter. The oth
er disappeared. So you see, Jean de
Gravols, what sort of creature Is your
friend Jan Thoreau:"
"I see that you are a bigger fool
than ever," Jean said quietly. "Jan
Thoreau, what If I should break my
oath and tell Mellsse?"
Unflinching the men's eyes met. A
dull glare came into Jan's. Slowly he
unsheathed his long knife and placed
it upon the snow between his feet,
with the gleaming end of the blade
pointing toward Gravols. With a low
cry Jean sprang to his feet.
"Do you mean that, Jan Thoreau?
Do you mean to give the knife -challenge
to one who has staked his life
for you and who loves you as a
brother?"
"Yes," said Jan deliberately. "I
love you. Jean, more than any other
man in the world. And yet I will kill
you If you betray me to Mellsse!" He
rose to his foot and stretched out his
hauds to the little Frenchman. "Jean,
wouldn't yon do as I ntn doinsr?
Wouldn't you have done as much for
Iowaka?"
For a moment Gravols was silent.
"1 would not have taken her love
without telling her," he said then.
"That is not what you and I know
honor, Jan Thoreau. Rut I would
Tinve gone to her, as you should now
go to Mellsse, and she would have
opened her arms to me, as Melisse
would open hers to yon. That is what
I would have done."
"And that Is what I shall never do,"
said Jan decisively, turning toward
the post. "I could kill myself more
easily. That Is what I wanted to tell
you, Jean. No one but you and I must
ever know!"
"I would like to choke, that fool of a
Groisset for sending you to hunt up
those people at Nelson House and
Wholdaia!" grumbled Jean. i
"It was best for me." i
They saw Melisse leaving Iowaka's ,
home when they came from the forest, j
Roth waved their hands to her, end I
Jan cut across the open to the store. !
Jean went to the Cummins cabin as '
soon as he was sure that he was not j
observed. There was little of the old
vivacity In his manner as he greeted
Mellsse. He noted, too. that the girl
was not her natural self. There was a
redness under her eyes which told hint
that she had lepn crying.
"Mellsse." he said at last, speaking to
her with his eyes fixed on the cap he
was twisting In his fingers, "there has
cotno a great change over Jan."
"A very great change, Jean. If I
were to guess I should say that his
heart had been broken down on the
Nelson trail."
Gravols caught tho sharp meaning In
her .voleo. which trc.mUod.o. little as
o
-of lhe-
nr.:
x Mr
CopurlflhU 1911, bu the Bobbs
Merrlll Co.
i n
sue spoke. TTe" was before henn'Tm
instant, his cap fallen to the floor, his
eyes blazing as he caught her by the
arms.
'Tes, the heart of Jan Thoreau is
broken!" he cried. "Rut it has been
broken by nothing that lives on the
Nelson Hmise trail. It is broken be
cause of you!"
"I?" Mellsse drew back from him
with a breathless cry. "I I have bro-ken"-
"I did not say that," interrupted
Jean. "I say that it is broken because
of you. If only I might tell you!"
"Do-do, Jean! Please tell me!" She
put her hands on his shoulders. Her
eyes Implored him. "Tell me what I
have done what can I do, Jean?"
"I can say that much to you, and no
more," he said quietly. "Only know
this, my dear-that there is a great grief
eating at the soul of Jan Thoreau. and
that because of this grief he is changed.
I know what that grief is, but 1 am
pledged never to reveal it. It Is for you
to And out, and to do this, above all
else let him know that you love him.
Not as a sister any longer, Melisse. but
as a woman!"
Gravols did not stay to see the effect
of his last words. Cummins and Jan
came in together at supper time. The
factor was in high humor. An Indian
from the Foreuplne had brought In two
silver foxes that morning, and he was
immensely pleased at Jan's return, a
combination of incidents which put
him in the best of moods.
Mellsse sat opposite Jan at the table.
She had twisted a sprig of red Imk
neesh into her glossy braid, and a clus
ter of it nestled at her throat, but Jan
gave no sign that he had noticed this
little favor, which was meant entirely
for him.
"Has MacVelgh put in his new trap
line?" Cummins inquired after asking
Jan many questions about his trip.
"I don't know," replied Jan. "1 didn't
go to MacVeigh's." ,
Purposely he held his eyes from Me
lisse. She understood his effort, and a
quick flush gathered in her cheeks.
"It was MacVelgh who brought in
word of you."
"I met him in the Cree lake country,
but he said nothing of his trap linos."
He rose from the table with Cum
mins and started to follow hint from
the cabin. Melisse came between. For
a moment her hand rested upon his
arm.
"You are going to stay with me,
Jan," she smiled. "I want your help
with the dishes, and then we're going
to play on the violin."
She pulled him into a chair as Cum
mins left and tied an apron about his
shoulders.
"Close your eyes and don't move,"
she commanded, laughing Into his sur
prised face as she ran into her room.
A moment later she returned with
one hand held behind her back. There
came the snip of scissors and a little
nervous laugh close to his head.
"It's terribly long, Jan!" Her soft
hand brushed his bearded cheek.
"Ugh!" she shuddered. "You must
take that off your face. If you don't"
"Why?" he asked through lack of
anything else to say.
She lowered her head until her cheek
pressed against, his own.
"Recause II feels like bristles," she
whispered.
She reddened fiercely when he re
mained silent, and the scissors snipped
more rapidly between her lingers.
"I'm going to prospect the big
swamp along the edge of tho Darrens
this summer," he explained soon,
laughing to relievo the tension. "A
beard will protect me from the black
files."
"You can k'ow another."
She took the apron front about his
shoulders anil held it so that he could
see the result of her work. Ho looked
up, smiling.
"Thank you. Mellsse."
She went to the cupboard behind tho
stove and brought out her father's
phavlug mug and razor.
"I insist that you shall use them."
o
o-
Big Snows
Arttar If 66T&kb
er and" noting "Iheimlectslou
in"" his
face. "I am afraid of you."
"Afraid of mo?"
He stood for a moment in front of
the little mirror, turning his face from
side to side. Melisse handed him the
razor and cup.
"You don't seem like the Jan that 1
used to know once upon a time. There
has been a great change in you since
since"
She hesitated.
"Since when, Melisse?"
"Since the day we came in from the
mountain and 1 put up my hair."
With timid sweetness she added, "I
haven't had it up again, Jan."
She caught n glimpse of his lathered
face in the glass staring at her with
big. seeking eyes. She had washed
the dishes before he finished shaving..
Then she took down tho old violin
front the wall and began to play, her
low, sweet voice accompanying the In
strument In a Cree melody which Io
waka had taught her.
Surprised, he faced her, his eyes
glowing as there fell from her Hps the
gentle love song of a heartbroken In
dian maiden, filled with its infinite sad
ness and despair. He stood silent un
til she had finished, staring down upon
her bowed head. When she lifted her
eyes to him, he saw that her long lash
es were wet and glistening in the lamp
glow.
She played again, her voice humming
with exquisite sweetness the wordless
music which he had taught her. At
last she gave him the violin.
"Now you must play for me."
"I have forgotten a great deal, Me
llsse." She was astonished to see how clum
sily his brown fingers traveled over the
strings. As she watched him her heart
thrilled uneasily. It was not the old
Jan who was playing for her now, but
a new Jan, whose eyes shone dull and
passionless, in whom there was no stir
of tho old spirit of the violin. He wan
dered listlessly from one thing to an
other, and after a few minutes gave
her the instrument again.
Without speaking, she rose from her
chair and hung the violin upon the
wall.
"You must practice a great deal,"
she said quietly.
At her movement, he, too, rose from
his seat, and when she turned to him
again he had his cap in his hand. A
flash of surprise shot into her eyes.
"Are you going so soon, Jan?"
"I am tired," he said in excuse. "It
has been two days since I have slept,
Mellsse. Good night!"
He smiled at her from the door, but
the "Good night" which fell from her
lips was lifeless and unmeaning. Jan
shivered when he went out. Under the
cold stars he clinched his hands, know
ing that he had come from thu cabin
none too soon.
It was late wheu Cummins returned
home. Melisse was still up. He look
ed at her sharply over his shoulder as
he hung up bis coat and hat.
"Has anything come between you
and Jan?" he asked suddenly. "Why
have yon been crying?"
"Sometimes the tears come when I
am playing the violin, father. I know
of nothing that has come between Jan
and me, only I-I don't understand"-
Sho stopped, struggling hard to keep
back the sobs that were trembling In
her throat.
"Neither do I understand." exclaim
ed tin; factor, going to the stove to
light his ptfie. "He gave me his res
ignation as a paid servant of the com
pany tonight!"
"Ho is not. going-to leave the post?"
"He Is leaving the service." reiterat
ed her father. "That means he can
not long live at Lac Ruin. He says
he Is going Into the woods, perhaps
into Jean's country or the Athabasca.
Has he told you more?"
"Nothing," suld Mellsse.
The next day it was Crolsset who
went along the edge of the Darrens
for meat. Gravols found Jan filling a
Hew shoulder pack with supplies. It
was their first encounter since he had
learned that Jan bad given up the
service.
"I sny, M. Jan Thoreau!" he fairly
hissed.
Jan looked up, smiling, to see the
little Frenchman fairly quivering with
rage.
"Good morning, M. Jean de Gra
vols!" he laughed back. "You see I
am going out among the foxes. I nm
tired of the post. I can make better
wage for my time In the swamps to
the west."
Jean's thin lips were almost snarling.
"Rlessed saints, nnd.lt was I who"
He spun upon his heels without an
other word and went straight to Me
llsse. "Jan Thoreau Is going to leave the
post," he announced fiercely, throwing
out his chest and glaring at her ac
cusingly. "So father has told me," said Me
llsse. Her cheeks were colorless and there
were purplish lines under her eyes,
but she spoke with exceeding calm
ness. "Well," exclaimed Jean, whirling
again, "you take It coolly V '
A little later Mellsse saw Jan com
Ing from the store. When ho entered
tiia-cnlditjiia, d;;;'. jp .beirjqp
id rain under which r'wasmrK'rin"g.
lmt his voice was unnaturally calm.
"I have come to say goodby. Me
tisse," he mild. "1 am going to pros
1 J
pect for a good trap line among the
Barrens."
"I hope you will have good luck,
Jan.'"
In her voice, too, was a firmness al
most metallic.
"Will you wait a moment?" she
asked.
She hurried Into her room, and
scarcely had she gone before she re
appeared again, this time with a flush
burning in her checks and her eyes
shining brightly. She had unbralded
her hair, and it lay coiled upon the
crown of her head, glistening with
crimsou sprigs of bakneesh. She came
to him n second time and once more
gave him her hand.
"I don't suppose you care now," she
said coldly, and yet laughing in hi
face. "I have not broken my promise.
It was silly, wasn't It?"
He felt as if bis blood had been sud
denly chilled to water, and he fought
to choke back the thick throbbing in
his throat.
"You promised" He could not go
further.
"I promised that I would not do up
my hair again until you had forgotten
to love me," she finished for him. "I
will do it up now."
"1 have not forgotten to love yon,
Mellsse. I shall never cease to love my
little sister. Rut you are older now,
nnd It is time for you to do up your
hair."
He turned without looking nt her
again, leaving her standing with her
arms still half stretched out to him,
and went from the cabin.
"Goodby, Jan!"
Thewotd fell In a sobbing whisper
from her. but he had gone too far to
hear.
(To Ho Continued.)
CARL WEST BUYS ELEVATOR
AT DOUGLAS, NEBRASKA
Gail West of Wyoming has
purchased the Denti levator
over ul. Douglas and lias moved
over there ami taken charge of it,.
.Mr. West is a gentleman of high
moral integrity and a gentleman
in every sense of the word, be
sides he is a iirsl-class grain man.
Tim people or Douglas and that
pari of the county are to he con
gralulaleil on having such a
splendid gentleman make his
home with them. Tho fanners
will fiml Carl always sipiare and
upright in all his dealings ami
lliey can depend upon him under
all circuinsfances. Tin; News
takes great pleasure in heartily
commending liim lo the good
people or that portion of the
counly and state. Nebraska City
News.
THEY ALWAYS HELP ELDERLY
PEOPLE.
Foley Kidney I'ills give just the
help elderly people need to lone
and strengthen I heir kidneys ami
bladder ami regulate their action.
John Me.Masters. Slrealor, III.,
says: "I feel belter ami stronger
I ban I have for many years, ami
Foley Kidney ills did it." For
sale by F. ;. Fneko & Co.
Crisslnger Family Moves.
X. W. Crissinger and family
who have just sold I heir residence
properly ,, ijp, School hill to
W. II. Ilryan, art; engaged in mov
ing into the residence properly
just south of Ihe Christian Science
church. This is n much larger
house than the one formerly oc
cupied by Mr. Crissinger nnd his
family, and will make them a verv
comfortable home.
The most useful gifts
in the
"Goodby, Janl"
world nt Kaslwood's.
holiday traffic started
THROUGH THE MILS EARLY
I'rotn Wednesday's Pally.
lloliia .season traffic for the
po-loffuv department is just be
ginning to make itself Ml. but it
mil ii..t begin unti ai,lit n,,.
about tile fifteenth of (he month.
Practical!.?, all or the ..- k;,es
now heiiiu sent for the ChrMinas
season are for foreign delivery
ami mut he mailed al this time in
order to reach their destinations
by Christmas day. Tin? hiuh wa
ter mark m the ustoffiee traffic
will come ahoul two or three tlas
before Christina, depending upon
which day of the week on which
Hie holiday falls. This ear
Christmas will he on Wednesday,
so the poslofl'ieo officials are pre
paring lo handle their heaviest
amount of mail on Momlav, De.
eemlier 'J.'!. The preceding- Satur
day will he a lillle loo early for
most of Ihe mailing-, so many will
wail until Monday. According lo
tin? postoffiee officials, the public
usually delays sending the gifts
until as lale as possible, aiming- to
gel Iheni to their destination by
Hie last mail which will he de
livered before or on Christmas
day.
L
PIONEER OF MILLS COUNTY
William David Mendcnhall, a
pioneer of l'latteville township in
Mills county, died at the Ktlmund
Non hospital, Council Bluffs, Sun
day, November 2 i, and was buried
at Glenwood cemelery Monday,
November 25. He was 02 years,
10 months and 13 days old at the
time of his death. He had been a
sufferer for the last several years.
William David Mondenhail was
born in lloll counly, Missouri,
January 11, 185(1, where In? lived
with his parents until 18(55. when
lie came will? I hem fo Pari lie City,
in 1 his counly.
In the year t8;: he was united
in marriage fo Miss Fmuia llus
scll. To I hem w ere horn live
daughters and two sons. Dora,
"lie of Hie ilaughlers, died al Ihe
age-of 3 years. The oilier chil
dren, wilh his widow, suivie him.
The w idow and one daughter, Mrs.
.J. II. I.ee, live i? l'acilic Junction,
Mrs. I'. Hirdsall al Missouri Val
ley, Mrs. Fred Davis and Mrs. Kd
ward Iloarly at. Council HlufTs,
William Mendcnhall at, I'lalts-
moulh, ami Waller M lenhall al.
Missouri Valley. He also leaves
a niolhor, Mrs. Sarah Memlenhall,
of Pacific Junction, and four
brothers: K. I,, and John Mon
denhail of pacific Junction, Sam
uel Mendcnhall of Momlamin,
fowa, and James Mondenhail, in
California.
He was a man of good charncler
and a loving husband ami father,
so his death was a sad occurrence
lo his relatives ami many friends.
Glenwood Tribune.
Fanners, inecnanics, railroad
ers, laborers, rely on Dr. Thomas'
Fclectic Oil. Fine for nils, burns,
bruises. Should he kepi in every
home. 25c and 5(ic.
Sell your property through a
little ad in the Journal.
Half Service or
Double Service
Two telephone systems in one town mean a di
vided community or a forced duplication of appara
tus and expense. Some of the people are connected
with one system, some are connected with the other
system, and and each group receives partial service.
Only those receive full service who subscribe for
the telephones of both systems. Neither system can
fully meet the noeds of the public, any more than a
single system could meet the needs of the public if
cut in two and half the telephones discontinued.
What is true of a single community is true of
the country at large. Tne Lincoln Telephone System
is established on the principle of one system and one
policy, to meet the demands for universal service, a
whole service for all the people.
Lincoln Telephone and
Telegraph Company
J. K. POLLOCK, Local Manager
Funeral of Mrs. Todd.
From Wecliifsilttv'g Imily.
The funeral of the lale .Mrs. K.
It. Todd will be held tomorrow af
ternoon from her home west of
tlii-. city at i o'clock, and will bo
in -harge of Hev. (i. W. Maylield
of Louisville. The interment will
he made al Oak II ill cemetery. The
-on of Mrs. Todd. Thomas K.. who
departed for C.a I i forn ia last Tues
day, w ill he unable to attend, as'
lo' did iiel ai riv e I hen? mil il Sun
da ami il would leiiuire about
three d,i (h make Ihe trip hack.
D". T. .1. Todd of W'ahoo is in a
bedfast condition with rlieuma
lim ami will also be unable lo be
present.
REMINDED OF THEIR 22ND
i;;i
I I'i-.iiu WotliifSiUiv's Pally.
j Yesterday being the Iwenty-
j second wedding animersary of
.ur. ami .Mrs. i i. e.. morgan, a num
ber of their friends decided last
evening lo remind Iheni of that
pleasant event, and accordingly,
isited the Morgan home about 8
o'clock bringing wilh them bas
kets filled wilh a splendid lunch.
The guests wen? received in a
most hospitable manner by tho
host and hostess ami they pro
ceeded to enjoy a most delightful
evening wilb social conversation
ami several musical selections by
members of the party. At an ap
propriate hour the sumplious
lunch was served which added
very much to the enjoyment of
Ihe occasion and the guests de
parted wishing their friends many
more such happy wedding anni
versaries. Those comprising the
party were: Messrs. and Mes
dames E. W. Cook, Joseph Fetzer,
F. (i. Morgan, T. M. Patterson,
William Sehmiiltmann, J. II. Don
nelly, Mrs. W. E. Rosencrans, Mrs.
C. D. Fails of South Omaha, and
Miss Carrie Oliver.
Dr. Win. Sadler, author of "Tho
Cause and Cure of Colds," says
thai common colds should ho
taken seriously, especially when
they "hang on." Foley's Honey
and Tar Compound is a reliable
household medicine for coughs
and colds, equally effective for
children and for grown persons.
Take il when you feel a cold com
ing on. II will avert danger of
serious results and cure ipiiekly.
No harmful druus. For sale by V.
(!. Fricke & Co.
COUGHING AT NIGHT.
One had cough can keep tho
whole family awake at night. Phil.
Disorni'tui, SehafTcr, Mich., says:
"I could not sleep on account of
a bad cough, and I was very weak.
I used Foley's Honey and Tar
Compound, and soon the cough
left und I slept soundly all night."
For sale by F. (i. Fricke & Co.
Ililious? Feel heavy afler din
ner? Miller taste? Complexion
sallow? Liver perhaps needs
waking up. 1 loan's Ilegulets for
bilious allacks. 25c al all stores.
For Sale.
flood lop buggy and single har
ness. See V. M. Mullis.
12-.'l-2ftl-lfwkly
Fresh lobsters at the Ruby
Restaurant.